Stanchion



R. V. WELLS Sept. 26, 1950 STANCHION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1948 Ralph V. Wells INVENTOR.

R. V. WELLS Sept. 26, 1950 STANCHION Filed July 6, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 7.

Ralph V. Wells INVENTOR.

. 1 BY 21mm W ZYM Fig. 3

Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE s'rANcrnoN' Ralph V. Wells, Tuscumbia, Mo.

Application July 6, 1948, Serial No. 37,207

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to new. and useful improvements in stanchions and embodying the provision of a stanchion supporting frame which may be set up at the end of a chute or in 1 an opening in a barn or other structure to receive the head of an animal and-providing vertically swingable clamping bars in the frame for holding the animal in a restrained position.

An important object of the invention is to pro A still further object is to provide a device of 7 this character of simple and practical construction, which is efiicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture ,andotherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended. V

Other objects and advantages reside invthe details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 4-4, 5-5

and 6-43 in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary front elevational .view showing the upper adjusting member for the clamping bars in a raised position for reducing the openingbetween the bars; and;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the clamping bars with the upper adjusting member shown in its raised position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates the stanchion frame generally and which is composed of a pair of vertical side frame members 6 secured in vertically substantially spaced parallel relation with respect to each other by a pair of lower cross bars 1 and a pair of upper cross bars or beams 8. Vertically spaced apart cross bars or beams 9 and ID are also suitably secured to the side frame members B'intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof.

The lower cross bars I and the beams 9 and I0 are arranged in pairs and between which a pair of vertical clamping bars or stanchion bars i i are positioned, the lower ends of the clamping'bars being provided with pins 12 positioned in horiaontal slots 93 in the lower cross bars i for pivotally. supporting the clamping bars for opening and closing movements of the upper ends thereof toward and away from each other and for slidably adjusting the lower ends of the clamping bars the slots I 3. 7

Coil springs M connect the lower portion of the clamping bars ii to the side frame members 6 to hold its ends I2 in the outer end of slots l3 and with the bars 5 l in a wider adjusted position with respect to each other. Links I5 are pivoted to the upper ends of the clamping bars Ii with the inner ends of the links pivoted to each other by means of a pin it to which is also attached an upwardly extending connector El with a rope or cable i8 attached to the connector and through an eye or pulley l9 supported by the upper cross bar 8. A substantially u shaped locking bar 20 is rockably supported at its bight portion in bearings 2i secured to one of the beams H) to provide a pair of locking arms 22 at each end of the locking bar for swinging into and out of engagement behind the clamping or stanchion bars H when the latter are swung inwardly into a closed position as shown by the dotted lines in Figure l of the drawings.

The ends of the locking bars as project laterally outwardly as shown at 23 to engage the sides of the clamping bars II to hold the arm 22 against inward swinging movement when the clamping bars are moved into their outward or open position as shown by the full lines in Figure l. The center of the locking bar 26 is formed with a forward projection 24 to which one end of a coil spring 25 is attached, the spring extending downwardly its other end attached to a bracket 26 suitably secured to one of the beams 9. A. rope or cable 21 is also attached to the projection 24 and extends upwardly through an eye or pulley 28 secured to the upper cross bar 8. Substantially elliptical or 'cam shaped dogsZd are pivoted at their lower ends on pins 31] car ried by the lower cross bar l and with their upper ends swingable inwardly behind the clamping bars I l to adjust the latter inwardly toward each other in the slots 13 whereby the reduce the Width of the opening at the lower end of the clamping bar when the device is used for smaller animals.

The width of the opening at the upper portion of the clamping bars i l is regulated by adjusting blocks 3| having vertical slots 32 adjacent one end and in which bolts and wing nuts 33 are received for securing the blocks 3| to the outer edges of the clamping bars II. The adjusting blocks 3| are of suitable length for swinging upwardly at the outer edges of the clamping bars I I as shown in Figure '7 of the drawings and held in raised position by the bolts and wing nuts 33 whereby the locking arms 22 of the locking bar 20 will be swingable against the block 3| when the clamping bars I I are moved into their closed position, the adjusting block 3| thus increasing the:

width of the clamping bars I I to reduce the width of the opening between the clamping bars at their upper portions when locked by the arm 22 of the locking bar 20.

In the operation of the device the stanchion frame may be suitably secured in a position at one end of a chute 34, or in an opening in a barn or other structure and any position whereby the head of an animal may be inserted between the clamping bars II. The springs I4 normall hold the upper end of the clamping bars in an open position as shown by the full lines in Figure 1 of the drawings and an upward pulling force on rope or cable I3 will raise links I5 and pull the upper ends of the clamping bars toward each other for clamping against the opposite sides of the neck of the animal.

After the bars I I have been closed the'locking arm 22 of the locking arm will be swung upwardly by spring after being freed by the inward movement of the clamping bars I I so that the arm 22 will swing behind the clamping arms Fl as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1 tothus lock the bars I I intheir closed position.

To release the animal the rope or cable 2! is pulled upwardly which rocks the locking bar 20 in its bearing 21 and releases the arm 22 from behind the bars ll whereby the spring I4 will then open the clamping bars.

Guards are secured to the sides 6 of the frame to prevent animals catching their feet between" the bars II and the frame.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction .with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will bequite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordinglydeemed unnecessary.

It. is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodimentof the invention, the same is; susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is-claimed as new is:

1. In a cattle stanchion having a pair of vertical stanchion bars. pivoted at their lower ends toa supporting structure for swinging movement toward and away from each other into anopen' or closed position, a single rockable locking'member movable into a position behind both bars to hold the same in closed position, said. locking member comprising a substantially U-shaped bar having locking arms at each end swingable into a locking position behind the bars.

2. In a cattle stanchion having a pair of vertical stanchion bars pivoted at their lower ends to a supporting structure for swinging movement toward and away from each other into an open or closed position, a single rockable locking member movable into. a position behind both, bars to hold the same in closed. position,'said locking member comprising a substantially U-shaped bar having locking arms at each end swingable into a locking position behind the bars, spring means moving the bar into its locking position and a rope attached to said bar for releasing the same.

3. A cattle stanchion comprising a frame, a pair'of vertical stanchion bars having lower ends pivotall and slidably connected to a part of the frame for movement of the bars toward and away from each other into an open or closed position, spring means connecting the bars to the frame forholding the bars in open position, a pull rope connected to the bars for closing the same, spring actuated locking means for the bars and carried by the frame for automatically locking the bars in a closed position, means connected to the locking-means for releasing the same, and width adjusting means carried by the barsand' movable into and out of position for engagement b the lo'cking'means for regulatingthe size of the opening formed by the bars when in closed position.

4. A cattle stanchion comprising a frame, a-

pair of vertical stanchion bars having lower ends pivotally and slidably connected to a part of the framefor'movement of the bars'toward' and away from-each other into an open or closed position, spring means connecting the bars to the frame for holding the bars in open position, a pull rope connected tothe bars for closingthe' same, spring REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number- Name Date 205;632. G-idley V -V July 2, 1878 6995988 2 Terrell et all r May'13; 1902 8.47 806 McGuire Mar. 19, 1907 852,439 LattinL- May '7, 1907' 1,033,441 Montgomery July 23; 1912* 

